SystemLink has a video from a German gamer (thanks Joao) showing what's alleged to be spyware activity from Origin, EA's online service. This uses a process monitor to attempt to show what sort of data from your system is being reported back to Electronic Arts. Eurogamer has EA's response to this, which denies any wrongdoing:

EA Germany has now updated Origin's terms of service in response to the furore and issued a statement denying its software was spyware.

"We have updated the End User License Agreement of Origin, in the interests of our players to create more clarity," EA Germany announced in a statement yesterday. "Origin is not spyware. Neither do we use nor install spyware on the PCs of users.

"We do not have access to information such as pictures, documents or personal data, which have nothing to do with the execution of the Origin program on the system of the player, neither will they be collected by us.

"EA takes the privacy of its users very seriously. We have taken every precaution to protect the personal and anonymous user data collected."

Just get the fixed executable from Razor1911, which eliminates the need for Origin completely!

I use this not out of concern for any data collection, but because I don't want another useless pile of crap running for no reason. They are just trying to shove more advertising and marketing down the users throat. No thanks, jackasses!